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Sesame and Lilies 

Questions 

for interpretative and 
Literary Study 



BY 

pf H.PEARSON, A. M., L H. D. 

Professor of the Engrlish language and 
Literature in Bethany College. 



Author of 
The Study of Literature" 



Copyright 1914, by P. H. Pearson 



Published by 
P. H. Pearson, Bethany College 
Lindsborg, Kansas • 



Three Hundred Questions For 
Debate 

With a Number of sug-g-estions for Outlines. 
Price 25 Cents. 



SUBJECTS FOR THEMES AND ORATIONS 

About Twelve Hundred Classified 
Subjects with Numerous Sug-g-es- 
tions for Outlines. Prices 45 cents. 

A Supplementary List of Subjects compiled during- 
the current school year will be sent free of charg-e 
to purchasers of this. 



THE READER'S RECORD 

A neat leatherette-covered book for notes on 
readinsf. Price 35 cents. 



P. H. PEARSON 
*>' f '^ Bethany Colleg-e 

^ Lindsborg-, Kansas 

©CI.A;3894 72 



^^ 






Ruskin— Sesame and Lilies 

Lecture 1 — Sesame 

Paraiiraphs 1 — 7. 

Word studies. Ttie lessons throughout these lectures should 
include the study of pronunciation, meaning", and use of words 
in the text: also a discussion of synonyms and English idioms. 
A short theme should he written on a topic arising: from the 
subject-matter of the assignment. 

1. When were these lectures delivered f Before what au- 
diences? 

2. AVhat reason does the lecturer uive for the arabisuity 
of the title? 

;>. What d(» rhetorics say about the point in Par. 1 — 
whether a speaker should announce his subject and position at 
the outset, or whetlier he should lead to it as the aim of his 
discourse? 



Questions on R us kin 



4. How does Raskin's view of ''Advancement in Life" 
differ from the generally -aeeepted view as discussed in Par. 1-4? 

5. Beside love of praise what other motives are there for 
advancement in life*? 

6. Trace the course of the thought as he gets from criti- 
cism of educational motives to the choice of friends in Par. 6. 

7. What is the central idea built up in 6 — T'? 

8—12. 

1. In Par. 9 he talks about a class of printed writings that 
are not really books. How, then, do the books he has in mind 
differ from other writings? 

2. Is there no other essential difference between the printed 
word and the living voice than w^hat he points out in 9? 

3. How does he enlarge the notion of books in Par. 10? 

4. What illustration does he use to emphasize the benefits 
of comradesliip with authors? 

5. Show just how one's own ''inherent aristocracy" will 
bo assuredly tested by this kind of companionship? 

6. What are the conditions for gaining admittance into 
this society (Par. 12) ? 

13—19. 

1. Give an independent opinion of the attitude on which 
Huskin here insists: ''To enter into theirs, observe; not to 
find your own expressed by them." 

2. What training does he say is necessary for one who 
wishes to understand "men's best wisdom"? 

3. Write out the practical hints he cives for word studies 
(Par. 15). 

4. Explain fully what he means by "peerage of words" 
(15). Illustrate by citing words that have peerage and by 
others that do not have it. 

5. From his instances in Par. 16, what damage may be 
done by the lack of accuracy in the use of words? 

6. ^ Show how he makes out (Par. 17) that the English 
language places a power of equivocation into men's hands. 



NOV -;^ 1914 



Sesame and Lilies j 



7. Point out further the habit one must form ''in order 
to deal with words rightly." (Par. 19). 

20—24. 

1. In what way does the study of the poem "Lycidas," as 
here brought in, help to work out the plan of the lecture? 

2. What were the circumstances under which this poem 
was written? 

3. State in your own language how the etymology of the 
word Bishop shows that the expression "Blind mouths" is cor- 
rect. 

4. How does he use the etymology of the word Spirit to 
help explain the phrase "But svvoln with wind," etc? 

5. In w4iat sense does he use the expression "man's 
breath" in 23? 

0. How does Ruskin interpret the meaning of the "iron"' 
key as quoted from Lyeidas? 

26—26. 

1. What should be the reader's attitude of mind in order 
to get the most out of his reading? 

2. Explain — "You have no materials for them in any seri- 
ous matter" (25). 

3. Discuss the limitations he finds in the thoughts even of 
the wisest of men (25). 

4. How does Ruskin have us find out what were Shakes- 
peare's or Dante's opinions "on this matter of church author- 
ity" (25). 

5. What does he mean by the last phrase in 26 — " Sow not 
among thorns"? 

27—31. 

1. Define "sensation" as used in Par. 27. 

2. Show how the etymology of the word "tact" enforces 
the thought in Par. 28. 

3. What distinction does he draw between a mean and a 
noble curiosity (29) ? 



Questions on Ruskin- 



4. How does lie apply this distiiietion to his own countiy? 

5. Explain fully some tests that would serve to distin- 
iiuish a cultured person from a vulgar person (30). 

6. Show how he applies similar distinctions to nations. 

7. How does tlie criticism throughout Par. 30 connect 
witli the main subject of this lecture — ''How and wbat to 
Head"? 

8. Explain the sentence, "We still ring true when any- 
thing strikes home to us" (31). 

32— .35. 

1. What force does the argument in 32 gain by the large 
number of specific terms there usedf 

2. What, according to Ruskin, is the reason that his coun- 
try has despised literature'/ 

3. Show what means he uses in 33 to support the point 
brought out in his statistics. 

4. In 34 explain — "That art may be learned as book-keep- 
ing is, and when learned, will give you more books to keep." 

5. What is the vulgar conception of the pleasure that na- 
ture affords as depicted by the author in 35? 

(1 In 35 distinguisli between what we would call justifi- 
able enterprises and vulgar practices. What apt fignres are 
here used to enforce the argument ? 

3>6— 39. 

1. How does lu' prove tliat his people have despised com- 
passion? 

2. What is tlie i)ur|K)se of the arraignment so far as it is 
intended to helj) carry out the plan of the lecture? 

3. Wliat advice does lie give with regard to the indulgence 
in amusement ? What is tlie true relation between amusement 
and work? 

4. What is to be undei-stoixl bv the expression "True busi- 
ness" (39)? 

5. P^xplain and illustrate— " The justice we do not exe- 
cute, we mimic in the novel and on the stase. " 



Sesame and Lilies 



40—50. 

1. How does the author iu Par. 40 justify what he has 
done in the last ten paragraphs f 

2. Show in what way the substance of 41 applies to read- 
ers and reading. 

3. Why does he now tell us what he means by advance- 
ment in life instead of making it clear to us when he first took 
up the subject (42)? 

4. How does he explain what he means by true kings in 
43 f Explain — '^Too many of them make ''il gran rifiuto.'' 

5. In 45 what is symbolized by the three expressions — 
' ' Moth-kings, " " Rust-kings, " ' ' Robber-kings ' ' f 

6. Can you determine exactly why he has chosen the terms 
"Athena,- ' and "Delphian" to help explain the kinds of treas- 
uies he is here talking about? 

7. In what way are the personifications, "Conduct, Toil 
and Thought" apt in this connection? 

8. How does Par. 45 justify the sub-title "Kings' Treas- 
ures"? 

9. For what great causes does he make an appeal in the 
concluding paragraphs of the lecture? 



Lecture 11 — Lilies. 
51 — 55, 

1. What is to be the line of thought of this lecture? 

2. How does he connect the substance of Par. 51 with that 
of the preceding lecture? 

3. Follow up his study of the word "State" by further 
examples of words from the same stem, showing that the same 
basic idea appears in them all. 

4. What exactly is to be understood l)y the expression 
' ' Queen ' s ' Gardens ' ' ? 

5. What preliminary question is taken up in 54? 

6. In 55 how does he propose to make practical use of 
what was learned in the first lecture? 



Questions on Rusk in 



56—59. 

1. Follow up the line of thought from the beginning; of 
this lecture, and show how it has led directly to this inquiry 
about Shakespeare's characters. 

2. State in what plays the characters mentioned in 56 are 
found. 

3. What two conclusions does he reach about the charaC" 
ters enumerated? 

4. From your own knowledge of these, tell whether you 
have altogether the same opinion about them? 

5. Explain the limitations he finds as in — "Not as in any 
wise comparable in knowledge of the nature of man" (59). 

6. State in what works are found the cliaracters men- 
tioned in 59. 

7. Can you think of ;an exception to the conclusions he 
draws in the last sentence of 59? 

60—69. 

1. How does the reference to Dante's great poem and the 
characters in it tend to support Ruskin's claims in preceding 
paragxaph ? 

2. What new proof in 61? 

3. What is the point in his question — ^'Are all these great 
men mistaken or are we"? 

4. What deeper meaning- does he hint at in the sentence 
— ''You cannot think that the buckling on of the knight's ar- 
mor bv his ladv's hand was a mere caprice of romantic fash- 
ion" (56)? 

5. What do you consider as correct and what as doubt- 
ful or incorrect in 67 and 68? 

6. Explain from what is stated in 69 what purpose the 
author had in mentioning so many characters so early in the 
lecture. 

70—73. 

1. Show how the inquiry thus far has led directly to the 
question he puts in the second sentence of 71. 



Sesame and Lilies 



2. Do the tlioughts and feelings one entertains leave their 
marks on the features as he claims in 70? 

3. Indicate what you see significant in the phrase ''Full 
of sweet records." 

4. How are we to understand the method of a woman's 
education as in 72 — ''And yet it should be given, not as 
knowledge — not as if it were, or could he, for her an object 
to know: but only to feel, and to judge". 

5. What does he mean by ''That bitter valley of humilia- 
tion (72)? 

(). Why does lie give the caution brought into 73? 



74—81. 

1. Prepare a brief discussion of the thought in the sen- 
tence — "His command of it should be fundamental and pro- 
gressive: hers, o-eneral and accomplished for daily and helpful 
use". 

2. State in full the difference he hints at between elemen- 
t;;ry knowledge and superficial knowledge (75). 

3. What single caution about the choice of books (75)? 

4. What possible dange?- and what value in the class of 
books mentioned in 77? 

5. Prive your independent opinion on his advice in 78. 

6. Discuss the educational principle in 79— ''To enable 
her to understand more than she accomplishes." 

7. What criticism does he pass on the way girls are edu- 
cated in his country? 

82—87. 

1. What does he mean by "keeping a fairy or two for 
(dnldren yet" (82)? 

2. Give independent criticism of what he says in 83. 

3. What implied contrast between the English and other 
nations in their respect for places of national interest (84) ? 

4. Point out what it is he exhorts his readers to do 
in 85. 



8 Questions on Ruskin — Sesame and Lilies 



0. What hint does he liive in 86 with regard to women's 
political duty? 

6. According to 87, what is the niost exalted kind of 
})ower? 

88—95. 

1. Find the etymology of the words Lady and Lord. What 
point does Rnskin make in calling' attention to the origin of 
these words'? 

2. What contrasted conception about the basis of per- 
sonal worth is reached through a study of the etymology of 
tlie Avoi'd Madam? 

3. In 90 explain — '^Grasping at majesty in the least 
things while you abdicate it in the greatest". 

4. What does lie have in mind when he speaks of the 
"most amazing among the phenomena of humanity" (92)? 

5. Sum up what Ruskin points out in the concluding par- 
agraphs as woman's greatest opportunity for power and dis- 
tinction. 



LITERATURE QUESTIONS 

(ONE VOLUME) 

Study Plans, consisting of questions on the following 
school classics: 

S^kctions from the Sketch Book. 
Rip Van Winkle. 
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 

The Great Stone Face. 
Silas Marner. 
Snow-Bound. 

The Vision of Sir Launfal. 

Evangeline. 

Hiawatha. 

Lycidas. 

L 'AUegTO. 

II Penseroso , 

Comus, 

Macbeth. 

Julius Caesar. 

The Essay on Burns. 

The Conciliation Speech. 

Price 75 Cents. 
P. H. PEARSON 

Bethany College, 

Lindsborg, Kansas. 



LXBRftRY OF CONGRE^<i 

n 




014 527l07'3 
QUESTIONS ON ENGLISH AND AMERICAN CLASSICS 

Qnestions on the following- school texts are now ready: 

E vani^eline 15 Cents 

Snow Bound 15 

The Vision of Sir Launfal • 15 

The Courtship of Miles Standisli 15 

Kip Van Winkle 10 

Ivanhoe 15 > 

Silas Marner 15 

Treasure Island 15 

Comus 15 

L 'Allegro, II Penseroso 10 

Lyeidas 10 

P.urke 's Conciliation Speech 15 

The Essay on Addison 15 

Emerson, Manners, The Superlative and others 15 

Macbeth 15 

Hamlet 15 

Julius Caesar 15 

The Merchant of Venice 15 

As You Like It 15 

oesame and Lilies 15 

Roger de Co verley Papers 15 

The Deserted Village 10 

The Lady of the Lake 15 

Idylls of the King 15 

The Princess 15 

P. H. PEARSON, Bethany College, 

Lindsborg, Kansas. 



LIBRARY O 

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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




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